The present invention relates to a system for cooling outdoor golf practice tees.
It is well known to provide a driving range with practice tees that are at least partially enclosed by a building structure to provide protection so that a golfer can practice during inclement weather. However, especially during the spring and summer months, such an enclosure often becomes hot and stuffy since the temperature becomes somewhat higher than room temperature and the enclosure prevents adequate air circulation.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide such an enclosure with an air conditioning system allowing the golfer to maintain the temperature adjacent the golf tee to within a reasonable range of temperatures.
Since such a system would require a financial expenditure on the part of the owner of the driving range, it would also be advantageous if some means could be incorporated into such a system that would permit the owner of the driving range to recoup some of the expenses of the installation by charging each golfer for the use of the air conditioning system.
It is with these needs in mind that the present invention was developed.
The following prior art is known to Applicant:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,422 to Kobrin discloses a refrigeration system that supplies refrigerated air from a single source thereof to a plurality of refrigerated enclosures. The present invention differs from the teachings of Kobrin as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures, each of which has a golf tee located therein and wherein individual louvered vents supply conditioned air within each partial enclosure responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,407 to Guenette discloses a garbage container unit divided into sections by partial boards detachably mounted within each section and with a refrigeration system directing cooled air to each of the compartments. The present invention differs from the teachings of Guenette as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures, each of which has a golf tee located therein and wherein individual louvered vents supply conditioned air within each partial enclosure responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,335 to Perez et al. discloses an icebank system for refrigerating numerous produce areas and providing air conditioning in a supermarket. The Perez et al. system directs cooled air from a single air conditioning unit to a plurality of separate spaces. The present invention differs from the teachings of Perez et al. as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures, each of which has a golf tee located therein and wherein individual louvered vents supply conditioned air within each partial enclosure responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,415 to Wilson discloses an air conditioning unit with a provision for ducting to convey conditioned air to a plurality of rooms. The present invention differs from the teachings of Wilson as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures, each of which has a golf tee located therein and wherein individual louvered vents supply conditioned air within each partial enclosure responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,443 to Yamashita discloses an apparatus for lowering the temperature of articles wherein a source of conditioned air supplies the air to a number of chambers. The present invention differs from the teachings of Yamashita as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures, each of which has a golf tee located therein and wherein individual louvered vents supply conditioned air within each partial enclosure responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,983 to Chandler, Jr. et al. discloses a kiosk with air conditioning wherein conditioned air is blown at a region of a kiosk where a user will be receiving services, such as receipt of money at an automatic teller machine. The present invention differs from the teachings of Chandler, Jr. et al. as contemplating a plurality of partial enclosures supplied with conditioned air from a single source thereof responsive to payment of a fee to a check control mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,342 to Hugunin discloses an all-weather golf driving range including a single partial enclosure provided with means to supply a curtain of warm air. The present invention differs from the teachings of Hugunin as contemplating a golf driving range wherein a multiplicity of partial enclosures are supplied with cooled air from a single source thereof and wherein a check control mechanism is employed to allow receipt of payment resulting in activation of the cooling means for a timed period.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,475 to Tuomi discloses a personal comfort conditioner that includes means for directing cooled air down onto the head of an individual. The present invention differs from the teachings of Tuomi as contemplating a single source of conditioned air that allows supply of cooled air to a plurality of separate partial enclosures responsive to payment within one of the enclosures of a set fee to a check control mechanism.